The Spanish humanitarian ship "Open Hands" approached the shores of Gaza, AFP reported.
The ship was carrying 200 tons of food desperately needed by tens of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the more than five-month-old war between Hamas and Israel.
The aid comes after the United Nations warned again of the threat of famine in Gaza.
The mission, which is mainly funded by the United Arab Emirates, is organized by the American charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), and the ship is operated by a Spanish charity.
The initiative is unrelated to the US plan to build and operate a coastal port near the Gaza coast that would allow rapid delivery of humanitarian aid
The charities intend to deliver aid directly to the Palestinian territory, which has been closed off from the outside world since Israel launched an offensive in response to the Hamas attack on October 7 last year. /BGNES